Microsoft has signed a partnership deal with the European Broadcasting Union to help develop and launch the official mobile apps for the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. The apps will firstly debute on Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 before their launch for iOS and Android later this week.
Microsoft says:
Based on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, the ultimate Eurovision Song Contest companion app is available in English across all EU countries, as well as in Dutch, Swedish, German, Danish, French and Spanish. Coming first on Windows Phone, and created together with voting and peak performance app specialist digame mobile GmbH, the new app makes sure watching the show will be more exciting than ever! As viewers follow the action on television, the app introduces participating artists, lyrics for each song (allowing impromptu karaoke!), information on their country of origin, and, of course, the results.
When the Eurovision Song Contest starts in May, the users of the app can expect the following:
- Overview of the latest stories, photos and videos
- MatchMaker: Finding out with which Eurovision decade one matches with the best
- Music shop (album release 20th April 2015) – with a karaoke version for each song
- Merchandising shop, where own Eurovision souvenirs can be bought
In May, right before the shows, the following features will be made available:
- Detailed information provided about the show, artists, songs and countries during live coverage of the shows
- Two additional languages: French and Spanish
- Detailed participant profiles
- Selfie filters with which users can give their pictures a touch of Eurovision
Microsoft will also provide each volunteer of the Eurovision Song Contest with a Lumia 535 smartphone as well as access to the Yammer business social network, for them to be able to keep in touch with each other prior to and during the shows.
Download the Eurovision Song Contest app from the Windows Phone Store (free)
